Machine for filling products into containers



.Aug. 7 1945.

c. A. HUTH 2,381,454

MACHINE FOR FILLING PRODUCTS INTO CONTAINERS Filed March25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 INVENTOR.

ArToPA/v s Aug. 7, c A HUTH MACHINE FOR FILLING PRODUCTS INTO CONTAINERS Filed March 25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 7, 1945 2,381,454' v MACHIN FOR FILLING PRODUCTS INTO CONTAINERS Carl A. Huth,- Rutherford, N. J.,assignor to Amerit j can Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corpora- .tion of New Jersey H App lication' March 25, 1943,-Serial No; 480,512 I lClaim. (01. 226-116) l The present invention relates to a machine for filling lightweight flaky or granular products into containersand has particular reference to drawng the product particles into the containers, simultaneously with the feeding of c the product into themtoeffect a settling and a close packing 'of the product particles so that a' predetermin'ed euantityof the product may be uniformly placed into the containers? Y v v filling some kinds of a lightweight powders andthe' like 'into containers; considerable diflicuL,

quantity of the product maybe-uniformly placed 7 machine for filling lightweight flaky or granular materials into containers whereby the product particles are drawn into the container simultane; ously with the fillingof the product into thecontainer to efiect a settling and a close packing of the product particles so that a predetermined into the containerwithout any waste of the prod not, during the filling operation.

ty-has beenexperienced'in the past in packing a predetermined weight of the product into acon tamer of a desired size'when the product par- :zicles are of such a" flaky nature a to retard or prevent close packing or settling of the par.-

' ticles. 1

The instant 'invention was conceived to overi come this difiiculty by drawing a vacuum at one end or; the container while filling the product into the opposite end, and tests'have'successfully demonstratedthat such a vacuum properly-ape plied draws the product particles down into the container and results in the desired settlin or close packing of a predetermined quantity of the product uniformly into the container;

" An object therefore of the inventionis the provision of a'filling machinewherebythe product particles arev drawn into. the container si multaneously with the filling of the product therein to effect a settling and a close packing of the. product particles sothat agpredetermined quantity of the product may be uniformly placed into the container.

7 Another object is the provision of such a machine whereby the settling of the product particles within the container is eifectedby drawing a vacuum'on the container adjacent one end "while the product is being filled into hecone tainer adjacent the opposite end so that the prod uct particles will be drawn into a closely packed mass'within the container. f

Still anotheriobject is ,the provision of a .machine of this character in combination "with, a cooperatively constructed container for filling the product into a container having a dispensing opening and a filtergasket adjacent the opening wherein the vacuum is drawn from outside the container and through the, dispensing opening and through the filter gasket so that, the product particles will be drawn intoclosely' packedposi tionwithin the container while preventingescape ofthe product particles through said dispensing 'opening v f A further object is the provision of a novel away;

Numerous other objects and advantages ofith'e invention willbe apparent as it'is better under-' stood from the following description, which,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, "discloses a preferred embodiment re p Referring to the drawings: I f Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the principal partsof a filling machine embodying the instantinvention and forcarrying'out the math od steps of the invention, the view showing a container in place and being filled, with parts of themachine and a portion "of the container broken Fig; 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the sitter top'of a filled container showing its dispensing openings in closed position, with portions broken way; a d

' Fig.' 13 ,is a vertical sectional view of the top portion of'the'sifter top container of Fig. 2, as viewed substantially along the line 3,-3 in Fig.2, but in inverted position.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings disclose the essential parts'of a preferred form of filling machine for filling a pre-' determined quantity of lightweight flaky or granular'products such as talcum powder or the like into dispenser orsifter containersA (Fig. 1).

The container to be filled'is made preferably with afibre sheet material body'B. which is fitted with a fibre sheet material top and bottom C and D respectively, secured-in place by suitable end seams E. The dispenser container A is shown in inverted position in Figs. 1 and 3, which is its a referred filling position. I The bottom D of the containeris formed with a filling opening F. The top of the container is formed preferably with a sifter type dispensing device (Figs. Z and 3) although other discharge openings may beequally well adaptedfor use with the instant invention. I A preferred type of dispensingdevice includes a countersunk panel G'which has a raised boss I having a plurality of sifter perforations or dis? pensing openings H, preferably "grouped in a circle.

The dispensing device further includes a rotatable disc J which is superimposed upon the can top C and which is held in rotatable position by an annular outwardly projecting bead K formed in the can top and in the adjacent body side wall which form an inner channel, into which the periphery or edge portion of the disc fits. The disc is formed with azsingle dispensing hole or opening L which is preferably of circular shape and of the same diameter as th'e circle of the grouped sifter openings H, and is provided with a raised elongated bead M which serves as a finger hold for rotating the disc to. bring the dispensing hole L of the disc J into and out of dispensing registry with the grouped sifter perforations H. A resilient filter gasket 0, preferablyof felt, is interposed between the panel G and the disc J to prevent seepage of the contents wh'en the sifter perforations are closed off. The gasket is secured to and rotates with the disc. The felt gasket'O prevents leakageof the powdery'or granular materialwhen the disc is in closed position as shown in -Figs.2 and 3, but .isporous enough to permit escape or withdrawal of air.

Filling of the container A withits product is effected preferably from the bottom of the container through the filling opening F. Thi filling operation is preferably performed while the container is in inverted position as shownin Figs. .1 and 3, the bottom end .being uppermost while the container rests on its top end.

accordance with the invention, the flaky product is fed into the container while the latter is in this inverted position. Simultaneously with this feeding-of the product into one end ofthe container a vacuum is drawnat the opposite end. Preferably, the-vacuumisdrawn from outside the container and through the filter gasket and through the dispensing opening H and L while thedisc J is .in closed position. This vacuum draws the product particles, as they arefed into the container, down into the container interior and efiects a settling and close packing of the product particles into a compact mass so that a predetermined measured quantity of the product may .be uniformly placed into container of a predetermined and uniform size.

In .the filling machine a. container A to be filled rests in its invertedposition on a support plate I I. This plate may be a lifter plate which is vertically movable to shift the can into and out of filling position. Filling of the product into the container may be accomplished by mere gravity but preferably by a filling head l2 which is located directly abovethe support plate I l and in vertical alignment therewith. By means of the lifter plate H the filling end of the inverted container is raised into engagement with .the filling head l2 asclearly shown inFig. 1.

The filling head l2 includes a straight tubular portion or nozzle l5 which fits into the filling opening F of the container A whenthe latter is brought into filling position. The lower end of the nozzle carries a pressure collar .16 which is slidably adjustable on the nozzle by a setscrew H, which engages in a groove I8 formed in the nozzle.

The pressure collar I 6 carries an annular resilient sealing ring 2] which surrounds the nozzle and may be made of rubber or like material. This sealing ring engages against thefilling end of the container and seals off the interior of the can from the outside atmosphere. The sealing ring is yieldably held against the container by its own resiliency andby a compression spring 22 which surrounds the nozzle and which is interposed between the support plate I I.

the pressure collar I6 and a shoulder 23 formed on the nozzle.

The upper end of the filling nozzle l5 widens integrally into a conical shaped hopper or reservoir 2B which contains a supply of the flaky or granular product to be filled into the can. The product may be force fed from the hopper into and through thenozzle andinto the co ta er y a vertical screw or auger "21 which i disposed within the nozzle. The lower end of the auger terminates adjacent the bottom of the nozzle. This auger extends up through the hopper and at its upper end maybe rotated in any suitable manner.

' The vacuum for sucking the product particles down into a compact mass within the can as they enter by way of the filling opening F in the filling end-of the'container, is drawn preferably through For this purpose the support plate is formed with an enlarged passageway or vacuum chamber 3| which is in communication with a port. 32 disposed adjacent the inner end of a conduit or tube 33 threaded into the plate. The tube 33 leads to any suitable source of vacuum.

The upper end of the vacuum chamber 3| is enclosed by an inverted cup shaped grid cap 35 which is threaded into the support plate I I. The flat top of the cap is formed with a plurality of perforations or small apertures 36 which are or may be grouped in a circle adjacent the end of the can when the latter is in filling position on the support plate. The cap is formed with a flange 37 which provides .a seat for a, resilient annular sealing ring 38 which surrounds the cap. This ring is made preferably of rubber and seals off the interior of a container from the outside atmosphere when the container is in filling position on the plate.

In some cases, it has been found that the sealing rings 2|, 38 may be omitted if a sufiiciently tight fit between the container ends and the filling device can be obtained so that sufiicient vacuum can be drawn wihout the seals. In order toifacilitate placing of a can on the plate H, the sealing ring 38 is disposed ina recess 39 formed in the plate so that the tops of the plate, the ring, and the perforated cap .35 will be flush. The compression spring 22 in the filling head I 2 holds the. can tightly against the support plate H and between the sealing rings 2 l, 38.

Hence when an inverted container A, having its dispensing openings in closed position, as shown in Fig. 3 is placed on the support plate II and held in filling position against the filling head I2 by the spring 22, a vacuum drawn onthe vacuum chamber 3| in the plate is effective up through the cap perforations 36, and draws a vacuum on the interior of the container through its dispensing openings H and L and through its filter gasket 0. It is this vacuum that draws the product particles down into a settled and closely packed mass within the can as they are fed into.it by the auger 21. This vacuum, being drawn through the filter gasket 0, prevents the product particles from being drawn out of the can during the filling operation and thereby prevents wasting of the product.

While the container A has been described as being made entirely of fibre it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to a similarly constructed all metal container or to a container made partly of fibre and partly of metal.

the foregoing description, andit will be apparent that various changes may bemade in the form,

vention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formfhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

Ina machine for filling a light weightflaky, f

' H in clamped position against said head sealing ring in an air-tight seal, said passageway being comgranular or finely comminuted product into a container having a filling opening in one end and a dispensing opening in an opposite end, the com- I 1 through said nozzle and into the container, a plate bination of a filling head for feeding the product into the container through it filling opening, said ringengaging. one end wall of the container exlocated below said filling head adjacent the opposite container end, said plate having a passageway formed therein, a sealing ring supported by said plate and surrounding said passageway, said ring engaging said opposite end of the container and cooperating with said plate to hold the container Lpensing opening on the interior of the container teriorly of said opening in an air-tight seal, said head also having rotatable means inside of'said nozzle for progressively forcing the product.

simultaneously with the forced feeding of the product therein to draw the inserted product par-' ticles into a compact mass within the container the container; CARL A. 

